'Kiss My Ass': Fear and Loathing in the Romney Campaign
The GOP candidate's disastrous foreign tour reveals his arrogance
On the trip's final leg, the world saw the most unattractive side of the Romney campaign, when the traveling press secretary loudly told reporters to "kiss my ass" and "shove it," in a display of the attitude that trickles down from the top.
Contempt toward the press is an important aspect of this attitude. For most of the campaign so far, Romney has pursued a media strategy that has become increasingly typical of Republican presidential candidates: Speak with Fox News, and avoid the rest of the national press corps. That is because Fox journalists (an oxymoron?) are far less likely to ask questions that the candidate doesn't wish to answer, such as the inquiries shouted at Romney in Warsaw on Tuesday.
Why were they shouting at him? Because during the entire trip, he had essentially refused to engage with reporters at all.
According to a CNN transcript, American reporters were calling out questions in frustration as Romney walked away at a public plaza near Poland's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, when press secretary Rick Gorka confronted them.
CNN: "Gov. Romney, are you concerned about some of the mishaps of your trip?"
NYT: "Gov. Romney, do you have a statement for the Palestinians?"
Washington Post: "What about your gaffes?"
NYT: "Gov. Romney, do you feel that your gaffes have overshadowed your foreign trip?"
CNN: "Gov. Romney, just a few questions, sir. You haven't taken but three questions on this trip from the press!"
Gorka: "Show some respect."
NYT: "We haven't had another chance to ask a question..."
Gorka: "Kiss my ass. This is a holy site for the Polish people. Show some respect."
Within moments, Gorka told Jonathan Martin, a reporter for Politico, to "shove it."
Just Like Sarah Palin
Although Gorka called reporters later to apologize, his blustering attitude revealed the Romney campaign's fury over the negative fallout from the trip—and its arrogance toward the press, which it regards as an obstacle to its ambitions.
The emerging truth about the man who will soon accept the Republican presidential nomination is that—like Sarah Palin—his handlers cannot trust him to cope with unscripted questions. That was particularly true on this trip, where his plenteous gaffes would only have multiplied if anyone had been able to ask a tough question.
And as with Palin, the difficult task faced by the Republican campaign is to protect Romney from the press scrutiny that is so essential to our process, and so damaging to his prospects.
Joe Conason is the editor in chief of NationalMemo.com.
© 2012 Creators.com
Besides, the rest of the world is there for only one thing... for the American Imperialist corporations to take advantage of in delivering affordable and exotic goods to affluent Americans.
One thing Romney is not... he is not a salesman, where you need to know your target, and say what you need to get them to close the deal. I'm sure he had a staff to do that for him when he was in his other jobs. That's what wealthy daddies do to their silver spoon kids, hide them away in private schools while they party and pull practical jokes. Then Daddy's clout injects him into a company at the type, his executive secretaries and personal assistants, and rest of his support staff do the work, even managing his social schedule, making sure his bills get paid on time, he gets to his appointments.
The rest of us Middle Class professionals, we have to keep all that stuff up ourselves, no secretaries keeping us on track.
That is so stupid. The President is the boss and he could go over to the IRS and see Romney's tax return any time. The FBI and CIA could do this for him. And who care's about his tax return. I'm sure he has many legal tax shelters and loopholes the liberals woudl attack and it is no benefit to Romey to release them. Who does the director of the IRS report to? I'm guessing the Secretary of the Treasury. Who reports to the president. I'm sure if there was something bad in those tax returns, the presidents staff would release the info to the press.
And if Romney did anything illegal I'm sure the IRS would be handing his ass to him long ago.
And whas up with this senator saying Romney hasn't paid taxes? Doesn't a senator have enough pull to be able to look at someone's tax return.?
Unauthorized disclosure of confidential tax return information is a felony under the Internal Revenue Code. Reid via his accusation is either putting himself in the position of a felon or disclosing the he trusts felons as his sources of information.
I'm sure killing Bin Lauden was a felony too but we did it. If the Presidenddoes something then it isn't illegal. If Nixon were president he'd have a copy of the tax returns. Obama needs to play hardball if he wants to get reelected. Why isn't he giving a presidential order to have Romney's returns audited? Hell if he can get Bin Lauden shot, he can get a peak at Romeny's returns.
It's lawful to target an enemy commander in the field so the Bin Laden comparison is borderline ridiculous. Nixon is dead and I'm pretty sure Obama is smart enough to know issuing a presidential order to examine the tax records of his opponent is not only an abuse of power and political suicide, but also stupid.
WTF is so important then about Romney's tax returns.? Is every other politician doing it? I have to agree wth Mitt there is nothing to gain politically by doing it. It just gives the enemy something to work with. I know several millionaires who pay zero in tax or very little. Thats because they don't have a very large taxible income. Its dividends, capital gains, and tax free bond interest. All taxed at low and no rate at all. Some income is generated in the Cayman's and not taxed, except when brought back to the US during the bad years to ofset losses. I understand that, But bucktooth joe down the the "factory" only knows he works his ass off and pays a ton of taxes. Then is envious of people who have succeeded and pay no taxes.
Anyway, you know Obama has seen the returns. Yeah. like he isn't going to take a peek. If there was dirt, he'd find a way to leak the returns to the press.
For those suggesting that the President wouldn't have people review Gov. Romney's tax returns or accidently release them are very mistaken. Obama's career is traditional of Chicago at it's worst. Every election he won was caused by or help by released confidential or sealed records. While he may not the the person releasing the info, the people he surrounds himself with have no problems breaking the law.